Lost in Translation
by nwfairy
Summary: Japanese and Czech are so very different, good thing they speak English and Math tooA WPBA forum Challenge


1. Introductions

"Hello… and you are?"

She bowed out of habit. "Hajimemashite. My name is Miko Kusagi." McKay raised an eyebrow at the little Japanese woman.

"Well Dr. Kusanagi, it's nice to have you here, now will you please get out of my way." McKay pushed by her. She was stunned only for a moment, frowning slightly before painting a humble simile on her face.

It was her first day in the Antarctic base, and barely off the helicopter and she was being pushed around. She gritted her teeth behind a peaceful simile. She was an expert at her field at home, but here if she didn't shine bright enough she would be pushed to the background.

She came up to another person and tapped him on the shoulder. "Sumimasen, but can you help me?" He turned around to face her; he was a curious looking fellow. His hair was brushed back out of his face, with the back being wiry and uncontrolled. Tawny eyes peered out from wire spectacles.

"Yes, how can I help you?" he asked, tilting his head.

"I have just arrived here, and I do not know were I am supposed to place my things," she indicated to the bag. He smiled, and took her bag from her.

"Come, I will show you were your things can be placed." She trotted after him to the resident quarters.

"You must be the new scientist, Dr. Kusagi? Correct?" He asked, holding the door open for her.

"Anoo! Hai. I am Dr. Kusagi." She stammered a little. _Watch it Komiko, this is no place to slip up._ He cocked his head and smiled again.

He held out his hand. "Welcome, Dr. Kusagi, to the Antarctica base." Miko tentatively took it and shook his hand. She felt somewhat uncomfortable with the western custom, but she could not expect a foreigner to understand.

"Arigato Dr…?"

"Radek. Radek Zelenka. Engineer." He beamed, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Rladeku Zerlenka? Hajimimashite." She bowed again. "Miko Kusagi. Quantum Physicist. Doozo yoroshiku. Nice to meet you." Radek was a little confused about the bowing, but bowed back a little.

Anwakered silence fell, were both looked like they had something to say, but didn't know the words.

"Well. Dr. Kusagi I have to go. Have experiments running…" Radek stammered.

"Anoo… Doomo, go ahead, I must unpack."

"Will I have the pleasure to see you later Dr. Kusagi?" He asked.

"Hai. Yes. Jaa ne Zerlenka-san." She bowed before rushing into her new room. Leaving Radek in the hall.

_Zerlenka-san? _Radek thought to himself as he trotted back to the main base. _I guess there could be worse nicknames. It actually was sort of cute the way she spoke. _He frowned at that last thought, mentally pushing it away. He had not the time for such school boy thoughts.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The next few weeks kept them busy and apart. Kusagi took no time to throw herself into the mist of things, easily falling into step with everyone else, edging the general science teams forward with her capability. McKay paired her to work mostly with Kavanaugh, another engineer, as a work team. Zerlenka-san worked mostly with McKay, and with McKay there was very little time to be casual; but determined to be nothing less than second best, Miko kept almost as many work hours, causing her partner to complain.

"It's not like we need to save the world at this moment or anything." He whined. "The Gould are on the defensive, and Anubis is nothing short of history. Not to mention we have this outpost to protect us if anything should happen." Miko started to grind her teeth but kept wisely silent.

"Hey! Why don't you and I go up to the commissary and get some coffee or something." He whispered into her ear. Miko shrugged him away from her.

"If you wish to get yourself a drink you may do so. However I am busy at this moment and are unable to go," she said coolly, with out looking up from her screen.

He shrugged. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he whispered into her, "Just tell me if you need _anything_._" _With that he left to the elevator.

Once he was out of sight, Miko shivered. _That man gives me the creeps. _She thought.

From across the room Radek looked concerned at Miko. Turning to McKay he asked, "You are sure that Dr. Kusagi and Dr. Kavanuagh are a good match in working together?"

McKay shrugged, and turned back to Beckett. "Carson, all I need you to do is concentrate on the solar system."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

After the discovery of the Atlantis dialing sequence, the entire Antarctica base was in a tizzy. Some were to go with the Atlantis expedition while others would have to stay behind and continue the work that was being done. All most all volunteered, since was a chance of a lifetime, Miko applauded herself in being able to go. The final embarkation was to leave in three weeks. A week to pack up in the Antarctica base, a week and a half to spend with her family, and the last half of that week she would have to pack her things to go to Atlantis.

Her family was so honored to have such a brilliant daughter, and saddened that she may never marry. Her father, when no one was looking, wrapped her in a big hug.

"I am so honored to have such a daughter, my Komiko."

Her favorite niece gave her a large hard drive before she left. "It's filled with music and manga, and my favorite anime's; it's so you wouldn't ever forget me." She wrapped Yuki-chan in a hug.

"I'll never forget you."

Her family would never understand why she couldn't tell them were she was going. Or why she said she may never come back. But they were honored none the less.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

She was busy with work at Atlantis, even busier than she was at the Antarctica base. Much to her distaste she had to work closer to Cavanaugh even more than ever before. It wasn't till Dr. McKay was stuck in the 'Jumper that she had her just rewards. When Weir public humiliated him in front of the rest of the team.

To escape Kavanuagh and his ego after AG-1 was successfully rescued, Miko hid in the back corner of the commissary. When Radek came in looking like he needed a place to hide she waved him over. As luck would have it, he saw her and joined her.

"Dr. Kusagi, nice to see you again," he said smiling.

"It is good to see you too," she said smiling back. They chattered on about nothing really, just a catch up with friends.

They thought they were hidden well behind the dead plant, but he could see them well enough. _That little… Well I'll make sure soon that they all know that Miko is mine. _

**\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

**A/N: Sup? Okay So I have to explain some of this Japanese stuff before you hit the comments button asking me the 'What the hell does this mean?' questions. First the cultural notes: bowing vs. handshaking, handshaking is a western tradition that is very slowly creeping into Japan; however it is more polite to bow instead. You would never see two Japanese shaking hands; they might only shake with a Westerner once, but after that they bow. The 'Japanese' of names. You'll see that When Miko speaks foreign words often she'll change them a little to speak easier. The fact that she changed Radek to Rladeku is a good example. And on that note, the Japanese 'r' and 'l' syllables are the same, so I'll write 'rl' most of the time when speaking from Miko's POV. 'Komiko' means 'Little Miko', just as 'Omiko' means 'Big Miko'. **

**Other Japanese words:**

Hajimemashite- Polite way to say hello before introducing self for the **first** time

Sumimasen- I'm sorry, excuse me, etc

Anoo- Japanese equivalent of uh, oh, yeah, etc

Hai- Yes

Doomo/ Arigato/ Doomo Arigato/ Arigato Gozaimasu/ Doomo Arigato Gozaimasu- Thank you in varying degrees

-san- polite honorific, used in place of –kun for females, used in polite manner for males

-kun- polite honorific used with males that are friends

-chan- honorific used for younger people than the speaker, used more often with small children or to be cute


End file.
